Sarajevo to introduce heat pumps technology in district heating system

Bosnia and Herzegovina’s capital Sarajevo is preparing projects to install heat pumps for the district heating system to reduce air pollution and the use of fossil fuels.

The initiative for introducing heat pumps in Sarajevo is a joint activity of city authorities and the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development (EBRD).

The district heating system in Sarajevo uses natural gas or heavy fuel oil, while homes not connected to the system are heated using firewood or coal. As a consequence, heating is the main contributor to the city’s poor air quality.

According to the Future of Heat Pumps report, which the International Energy Agency recently published, the city authorities and EBRD are discussing two projects to introduce large‐scale centralized water‐source heat pumps.

Heat pumps will use wastewater, and drinking water

A EUR 25 million project involves the construction of an 18 MW heat pump plant utilizing treated wastewater at an average year‐round temperature of 10 degrees Celsius from a nearby wastewater treatment plant. The second project, which would cost around EUR 21 million, involves the construction of a 21 MW heat pump plant utilizing city drinking water at an average year‐round temperature of 12 degrees Celsius.

According to the report, if the projects are implemented, the share of heat pump‐based generation in Sarajevo’s district heating network would reach nearly 40%.

A second phase of the project is also under consideration

Final investment decisions are expected to be made in the first quarter of 2023. A second phase could provide 18 MW of additional capacity from the city’s wastewater.

The two projects under development would reduce CO2 emissions by as much as 16 kilotonnes per year and help address concerns about the cost and security of natural gas supplies triggered by the current energy crisis, according to The Future of Heat Pumps report.